A U.S. citizen spent hours in federal custody after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained her while she attempted to retrieve her fiancé’s vehicle following his arrest in Norfolk, Virginia. Brittany Ramirez says she was handcuffed despite repeatedly providing identification and Social Security information to prove her citizenship.
Fiancé Among Three Arrested in Targeted Operation
ICE officials confirmed they arrested Oscar Amaya Bueso, Osman Amaya Bueso, and Arnold Antonio Mendoza Garcia on Friday during what the agency described as a targeted operation. All three Honduran nationals entered the country at an unknown time and place, according to ICE. Mendoza Garcia had previously been arrested in July 2021 but was released under the Biden administration. An immigration judge issued his final removal order in July 2024.
Ramirez learned Friday morning that her fiancé had been taken into ICE custody. With their wedding scheduled for the following week, she went to Tidewater Drive to pick up his truck. Federal immigration agents confronted her when she arrived at the location.
Four-Year-Old Sister Left Without Adult Care
Agents handcuffed Ramirez and placed her in a vehicle despite her claims of U.S. citizenship. She says agents questioned her documents and could not immediately verify her citizenship status. Her four-year-old sister witnessed the arrest and was left without an adult caretaker. According to Ramirez, agents placed the child in an ICE vehicle before dropping her at a nearby Harris Teeter grocery store, where her fifteen-year-old sister later picked her up.
The teenager recorded video of the incident and described seeing her older sister in the vehicle as heartbreaking. As news of the detention spread, demonstrators gathered outside the Norfolk Federal Building demanding Ramirez’s release. The teenager collected additional citizenship documents while Ramirez remained in custody.
Hours in Custody Before Release
ICE acknowledged that another person present during the operation was briefly detained after impeding the operation and released upon further inspection. Ramirez spent several hours at the Norfolk Federal Building before agents released her. She says she sustained bruising around her wrists during the detention. Federal officials have not responded to requests for more information about the circumstances surrounding her detention.
The three arrested men remain in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings. Ramirez says her focus has shifted to securing her fiancé’s release. The incident raises questions about detention procedures when U.S. citizens are present during immigration enforcement operations and the handling of minors left without supervision during such arrests.